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Orkney

Mess/Mass/Maes/May

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Lianachan L
Lianachan Apr 18, 2005 09:26:54
Replying to wideford

I looked up "maes" in the Index of Celtic and Other Elements in W.J.Watson's 'The History of the Celtic Place-names of Scotland' (by A.G.James and S.Taylor incorporating the work of A.Watson and the late E.J.Basden) and it said:

Maes (Br, Corn, W), mages- (eCelt), mes (Corn), meaz (Bret), mutated faes, Angl moss- field, plain

How is listed as meaning "low hill". So, from those definitions, Maes Howe would simply mean "Plain with a low hill" - which does describe the setting pretty well.


Mess is referenced to Mae, Mass has no entry and May is listed as an anglicized version of the Irish meidhe - meaning neck, stump or trunk.

W wideford
wideford Apr 19, 2005 16:37:42
Replying to Lianachan

Looking up Marwick's etymologies there are several of this unexplained placename element, including two Mount M(a)iserys and three Maeshowe cognates [2 of How(a)mae and a Maizer], but did not elucidate matters. Then on a different matter I researched the Proceedings of the Orkney Antiquarian Society and came across his Sanday article. He noted that the mae was very frequent in Sanday. This island is famously long and low, so I think definitely maes=plain as suggested. Spoils the mystery, alas.